The Supreme Court of India, on Tuesday, granted interim bail to Asaram, a self-proclaimed spiritual guru, in a 2013 rape case citing medical grounds, with the bail set to last until March 31. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal who have imposed strict conditions on Asaram, notably prohibiting any meetings with his followers post-release.
The 86-year-old Asaram, who faces various age-related health issues in addition to a heart condition, appealed for the suspension of his life sentence, which was awarded by a Gandhinagar court in 2023. The Supreme Court, however, stated that it would only consider the plea on medical grounds, disregarding other aspects of the case.
This decision comes after the Gujarat High Court on August 29, 2024, rejected Asaram’s plea for the suspension of his sentence, finding no substantial reason to grant him the relief he sought. The initial conviction was handed down by a trial court in January 2023 after a woman, formerly residing in his ashram near Gandhinagar, accused him of rape.
